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BeyondBlue Hello! Read this if you're not sure how to get started
  • replies: 0

Welcome This section of the Beyond Blue Forums is for talking about our experiences with depression. There are lots of chats about how it makes us feel, what it’s like to live with depression and what has worked to help in these times. Thank you for ... View more

Welcome This section of the Beyond Blue Forums is for talking about our experiences with depression. There are lots of chats about how it makes us feel, what it’s like to live with depression and what has worked to help in these times. Thank you for coming this far, we know it can be really hard to take these steps if depression is in your life - we see you and think this is a great step. To get the most out of this space we have a few tips: Get involved. The Forums work best for you when you get active and post where you can. Now, we know that can be really hard, especially when you are experiencing depression. So, if you can post something supportive to someone else here, that would be an incredible start. Speak from the heart. This community wants to know how YOU feel and what has worked for YOU. We trust that you have something unique to say and we can’t wait to hear it. Check in. Lots of the discussions in this section of the Forums have been going for years and they are some of the richest conversations we have. Keep checking in to get new ideas and offer your support. We know it can be tough to start, but when you are ready we want to hear your thoughts. If you need some time to get to know the community, that's okay! Have a look around and see where you want to get involved. Thank you for being here! Beyond Blue

Jeriava How do I talk to my doctor?
  • replies: 9

I’ve been struggling with my life for the past 7-8 years but I finally made an appointment with a doctor. I feel really scared though because I don’t ever go to the doctor for anything, and I havent seen this doctor for so many years that I’m really ... View more

I’ve been struggling with my life for the past 7-8 years but I finally made an appointment with a doctor. I feel really scared though because I don’t ever go to the doctor for anything, and I havent seen this doctor for so many years that I’m really scared that they’ll judge me or won’t believe anything I say. I’m really anti social so I feel like I won’t be able to say what I wanna say or I’ll say the wrong thing causing them to just dismiss me and move me along without helping. I’m just tired of feeling alone, depressed and just worthless but I’m really scared to talk to them.

AGrace SELF HELP TIPS FOR MANAGING DEPRESSION
  • replies: 132

Hi Everyone, Here are some ideas you might like to try for managing symptoms of depression. Of course everyone's different, so let us know what works for you, and please feel free to add to the list... Mindfulness – through breathing or engaging the ... View more

Hi Everyone, Here are some ideas you might like to try for managing symptoms of depression. Of course everyone's different, so let us know what works for you, and please feel free to add to the list... Mindfulness – through breathing or engaging the 5 senses Distress Tolerance – Accepting Emotions and Self Soothing Distraction – Put the thoughts/feelings aside and come back to them when you are ready to deal with them Positive Affirmations – Have some affirmations written down repeat them to yourself daily Sleep/Exercise/Diet – All 3 aspects of our lifestyle can impact the way we think/feel Increasing Pleasurable Activities – Engage in at least one pleasurable activity per day

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M2 Work disclosure?
  • replies: 3

Hi all, I'm a low level manager at an organisation that sees itself as quite modern and progressive. I'm currently struggling heavily with a long running bout of both anxiety and (more immediately present) debilitating depression which is impacting m... View more

Hi all, I'm a low level manager at an organisation that sees itself as quite modern and progressive. I'm currently struggling heavily with a long running bout of both anxiety and (more immediately present) debilitating depression which is impacting my performance at work. I feel VERY busy, my day is full, but i succeed in achieving VERY little. Not being able to adequately add any value only serves to add to my worry and fear and fuels my dive into despair. I speak to my wife regularly about leaving this role so i can have a breather and surface for air... But we can't afford this and my depression will only be fueled by new fears and stresses of finding a new role. i have constant ideation going on but this is not new, and not immediately concerning (though this can change rapidly). anyway... My question is... Is there any value to be had in disclosing my current situation with my manager? I suspect (know) this would trigger hr to be informed and it would spell the end of my progression in this company (modern or not, i suspect this place is no different to any other) but perhaps something immediately positive would be a result. Or am i dreaming? Stigma is difficult to wash off and this is not a new position for me to be in, just perhaps more severe and prolonged (8-9 months?) than outbreaks I've encountered before.

Julz01 Torn
  • replies: 7

I haven’t posted in a while but reaching out because I am struggling at the moment. My psychiatrists recommends a 3 week stint as an inpatient but I feel like I am letting my husband down. I did this 4 years ago and my life turned around so I am thin... View more

I haven’t posted in a while but reaching out because I am struggling at the moment. My psychiatrists recommends a 3 week stint as an inpatient but I feel like I am letting my husband down. I did this 4 years ago and my life turned around so I am thinking this could be good for me. i am drinking too much but can’t stop so hospital puts a stop to that. But I feel less of a person if I have to go to hospital to stop the noise in my head time to just deal with me. Then I am worried how I deal with work if I do this what do I say. My psychiatrists is changing my medications around to try and get me through this so coming of one of my meds & working out if I need a substitute so maybe this would be better managed as an inpatient. So confused

Helpadad BPD and alcohol
  • replies: 14

Hi there, I’ve been struggling for a while mostly in denial about my wife’s condition. She has extreme mood swings which I have asked her to seek medical advice about as they are more changes of personality. Over the last year she has been drinking i... View more

Hi there, I’ve been struggling for a while mostly in denial about my wife’s condition. She has extreme mood swings which I have asked her to seek medical advice about as they are more changes of personality. Over the last year she has been drinking in secret, hiding bottles of wine in cupboards and this has progressed to hiding it in sports bottles. I have caught her a few times and she blames me for everything. I cannot talk to her when she has been drinking as the words that she says are too hurtful. I gave up all drink in an attempt to help her stop, we were good for two weeks then I found her drinking in the bedroom. She admits she is depressed and blames me, because we had three kids and she gave up her career and independence. If we didn’t have kids, I would walk away, but I don’t trust her with the children, especially as she drinks in secret. I have asked her to get help, she always finds and excuse, and how can I prove she is getting help? my work is highly stressful and I am juggling trying to keep my family together and not make a mistake at work. Do I involve her family? Do I ask her to leave? I want to help her, as I still love her and I don’t want to split my family. I feel I am slowly breaking and finding it hard to keep smiling for my children. I don’t know what to do.

startingnew Really Struggling
  • replies: 17

Hi Everyone, I haven't been online for a while but I am really struggling. I don't really know where to start.

Hi Everyone, I haven't been online for a while but I am really struggling. I don't really know where to start.

Ammberr doesnt know how to feel about me due to his depression
  • replies: 2

So yesterday night my bf and i were having a few drinks then somehow its started into an argument then hes says he doesnt know if he loves me and maybe we should be friends but it wasnt that long ago we were talking of buying a house and settling dow... View more

So yesterday night my bf and i were having a few drinks then somehow its started into an argument then hes says he doesnt know if he loves me and maybe we should be friends but it wasnt that long ago we were talking of buying a house and settling down ive gone away to give him space and ive gone and checked on him once since ive been gone he says his depression is why hes pushing me away because he doesnt want me to suffer and he doesnt know how he feels about me but i still love him weve been togwther for 3 years and hes struggled with drinking and drugs but ive always stood beside him and supported him and he let me be there for all his other breakdowns and i guess i just need help with what i can do or should do i dont want to make it worse and harass him but its also a huge blow for me i mean this is the man i was gonna marry someday and it just all arlund sucks for everyone involved

John6969 Fed up with life
  • replies: 4

I am a father of 3 am 50 years old. All my life I have work work and work to provide for my family. I have always made sure that my family comes first . We just bought a new house and gave everything my kids and wife asked for. I made sure to please ... View more

I am a father of 3 am 50 years old. All my life I have work work and work to provide for my family. I have always made sure that my family comes first . We just bought a new house and gave everything my kids and wife asked for. I made sure to please everyone one , wife never had to work as it was my choice that I work and she looks after the house and kids. But unfortunately ever since we moved to the new house my wife attitude has completely change , I’ve always ignored her bad mood, but I’ve been working to exhaustion to finish our front and back yard, no help from no one as I feel everyone takes me for granted and provider. Lately things has gone from bad to worst between me and my wife at a point that I snapped and told her how I feel, how she ignored me, how I have to support her everyday bad mood etc..... I really feel that am at the end of my capacity.....

BM111 Difficulty maintaining friendships
  • replies: 3

So lately I’ve had some well deserved time off work. Having this time has really highlighted how little friends I have and more importantly how unimportant they make me feel. I’m not a hugely social person but have always made an effort to see friend... View more

So lately I’ve had some well deserved time off work. Having this time has really highlighted how little friends I have and more importantly how unimportant they make me feel. I’m not a hugely social person but have always made an effort to see friends. I feel as though lately I’m always being let down by these friends. I always try and organise catch ups but everyone is always too busy to do anything. I’m in my mid 30s and most friends have partners/kids so I understand its difficult to make time, but how can they expect to keep a friendship going if they make no effort at all? One of them acts like they’re quite possibly the busiest person on the planet and for a long time hasn’t made plans with me, but makes plans and hopes that I can come along. My only other couple of friends are quite ‘flaky’ and cancel all the time. I feel so lonely and it’s hard to accept that you’re no ones priority in life. For me, catching up with friends is hard. I like to hear how they are but get sad and embarrassed at how my life is always the same with nothing changing (yep, still single, same job etc) Often I’ll cry on my way home feeling like a failure. But despite this, friendships are still important to me. Am I expecting too much from people? I feel so let down all the time and makes me want to distance myself from them but I also don’t want to be friendless.. Last year I challenged myself and started a new sport (go me). I met some new people but none of them are around my age or people I’d see outside that sport. I guess I’m trying.. Life is just shit when you have no one to share it with..

Simmy depression and don't care..
  • replies: 11

More often than not I suffer from low level depression. Not bad enough that I cant get out of bed, however its bad enough that I don't really care about myself that much. Let me explain.. I feel like I do things because I have to not because I want t... View more

More often than not I suffer from low level depression. Not bad enough that I cant get out of bed, however its bad enough that I don't really care about myself that much. Let me explain.. I feel like I do things because I have to not because I want to. I only want to be here because I have family. I feel like I wouldn't care if I was here or not if I didn't have them. Its always an effort to work, keep fit, keep up my hobbies. I only work a few days a week but I am a full time parent. Work and hobbies are things I have to do to help me stay well, its not that I really care about them that much. In fact I hate my job. I don't have the academic ability, money or dedication to go onto something better. I wish I could get excited about life. I have been excited (rarely) about my hobbies but then reality sinks in that I'm actually talentless and find it difficult to remember and or retain information. I'm lucky that my teenage kids are pretty good and doing well. If they were not I would not cope. Every day is mental preparation and planning so I can get through it. I pretend I'm happy when I'm around people. I distract myself at home, sometimes it works, sometimes not. I do take anti depressants. I was diagnosed with bipolar when I was 37. 10 years ago. I feel like I'm just here with a heart beat.

bob01 hello
  • replies: 3

im not very good at this. howevere im at a point in my life that where I have to learn to do things for myself. I was diagnosed with mild depression coming to the end of the Covid lockdown last year. I was taking medication and seeing a GP, then afte... View more

im not very good at this. howevere im at a point in my life that where I have to learn to do things for myself. I was diagnosed with mild depression coming to the end of the Covid lockdown last year. I was taking medication and seeing a GP, then after a while I felt that I didnt need any of there help. As in stopping the medication I was on and stopping seeing my GP. however over the past year I continually find that I uncontrolably start talking to myself about things that are going on around me which initally made me upset but would then feel fine after contuning playing it out in my head. Moreover In the recent days I feel foggy and I dont understand how I come up with these onesided conversations of self harm in public which inturn makes me feel excited as im for the most part emotionally flat. looking for suggestions on a course of action thanks

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